- Active NIT + password for SAT Virtual Agency
- Vehicle license plate number
- Valid circulation card and paid ISCV sticker
- Valid DPI of owner or authorized driver
- Valid passport (Mexico, Belize — not for CA-4 with DPI)
- No pending fines in SAT and traffic
- Departure and return dates and countries to visit
Written by the Guatemala Life team, based in Guatemala City.
If you have a vehicle registered in Guatemala and plan to drive it to Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, or Belize, you need the vehicle exit permit issued by SAT. It’s a digital form, costing Q50, that takes less than 10 minutes. But the common confusion is that many drivers assume their circulation card and license are enough — and they discover at the border that migration won’t let them through without the permit. This guide covers exactly what you need, where to get it, what border insurance costs, and the country-specific details.
Quick takeaway: The vehicle exit permit is processed in SAT Virtual Agency or in person at any SAT office for Q50. Valid 60-90 days depending on destination. Mandatory for Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize. For Mexico you also need the Banjercito TIP (US$50 + deposit) and Mexican insurance (~US$30/week). In CA-4 the procedure is simplified but the SAT permit remains mandatory.
Rates verified for 2026. Insurance and deposits vary by provider.
What confuses travelers most: the SAT permit does not exempt you from procedures in the destination country. You need, separately, the permits of the country you’re going to. For Mexico, it’s the famous TIP (Temporary Import Permit) from Banjercito — without that refundable deposit, you cannot legally enter with the car. For Honduras and El Salvador (CA-4) the procedure is simpler — but you still have to register the vehicle when crossing.
When You Need It
| Destination | SAT Permit? | Destination Country Permit | Additional Insurance | Passport? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico (Tapachula, Comitan, Cancun, etc.) | YES | Banjercito TIP (US$50 + dep US$200-400) | YES Mexican (~US$30/wk) | YES |
| El Salvador | YES | Simplified CA-4 at border | Recommended | NO (DPI works) |
| Honduras | YES | Simplified CA-4 at border | Recommended | NO (DPI works) |
| Nicaragua (via Honduras + ES) | YES | Temporary permit at border | YES | DPI or passport |
| Belize | YES | Temporary permit at border (US$10-15) | Recommended | YES (not CA-4) |
| Costa Rica / Panama (across all CA) | YES | Multiple permits at each border | YES regional coverage | YES |
CA-4 Note: The Central American Free Movement Convention (CA-4) allows Guatemalans to cross with DPI to Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, but the vehicle is still treated as a temporary import. DO NOT confuse personal mobility with vehicle mobility.
Required Documents
To process the SAT permit
- Valid DPI of owner or authorized driver
- Active NIT + password for SAT Virtual Agency
- Valid vehicle circulation card
- Paid ISCV sticker for current year (SAT vehicle sticker 2026)
- If not the vehicle owner: notarized authorization from owner
- If company vehicle: legal representative’s authorization + appointment + company patent
To cross with the vehicle
- Valid passport (Mexico, Belize; optional with DPI for CA-4)
- Valid Guatemalan driver’s license
- SAT exit permit (printed or digital on phone)
- Vehicle insurance for destination country (Mexican for Mexico, regional for CA-4)
- Banjercito TIP if going to Mexico
- Lodging or itinerary proof (sometimes migration requests it)
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Verify clearances before starting
- Confirm 2026 ISCV is paid (sticker visible on windshield)
- Verify no pending traffic fines (online fines lookup)
- Confirm valid circulation card (not expired)
- If going to Mexico: request passport with at least 6 months validity
Step 2: Process the permit in SAT Virtual Agency
- Log into farm3.sat.gob.gt/menu/login.jsf with NIT and password
- Menu “Vehiculos > Tramites > Permiso de Salida del Pais”
- Select the vehicle from your list
- Indicate destinations (Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, etc.)
- Departure and return dates (maximum 90-day validity)
- Authorized driver (owner or third party with notarized authorization)
- Pay Q50 with SAT-2000 boleta via online banking or bank window
- Download the PDF permit (includes verification QR)
Step 3: Process destination country permits (case by case)
If going to Mexico:
- Log into banjercito.com.mx/registroVehiculos — TIP online
- Pay US$50 processing + US$200-400 deposit (depending on vehicle year, refundable on return)
- Receive TIP windshield sticker by mail or pick up at border
- Mexican insurance: buy online at MAPFRE Mexico or physically at the border (~US$30-45/week)
If going to El Salvador / Honduras (CA-4):
- Simplified procedure at border customs when crossing
- Fee Q20-Q50 depending on border
- Insurance recommended but not mandatory for CA-4 if only crossing for hours
If going to Belize:
- Temporary permit at Melchor de Mencos customs (US$10-15)
- Insurance recommended (Insurance Co. of Belize)
- Passport mandatory
Step 4: Cross the border
- Arrive at the border with all documents in order
- Guatemala migration: exit stamp on passport/DPI
- Guatemala customs: present SAT permit and circulation card (vehicle exit stamp)
- Destination country migration: present passport and permits
- Destination country customs: present TIP (Mexico) or process CA-4 permit
Step 5: Return to Guatemala
- Origin country customs: cancel temporary vehicle permit
- Origin country migration: exit stamp on passport
- Guatemala migration: entry stamp
- Guatemala customs: present SAT permit (return stamp)
- If you went to Mexico: visit Banjercito before TIP expires to recover the deposit (must be canceled before exit or you lose the deposit)
Cost and Timing
| Item | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| SAT vehicle exit permit | Q50 | 10 minutes online |
| Banjercito TIP (Mexico) | US$50 + dep US$200-400 | 5-7 days online |
| Mexican insurance (weekly) | US$25-45 | Immediate |
| Mexican insurance (monthly) | US$80-150 | Immediate |
| CA-4 permit (Honduras / ES) | Q20-Q50 | At border, same day |
| Belize permit | US$10-15 | At border, same day |
| Passport (if you don’t have one) | Q365 | 7-15 days (RENAP) |
Common Errors
Details
The Banjercito TIP CANNOT be obtained at the border the same day. It must be processed at least 7 days in advance online or in person at any Banjercito office in Mexico (not at GT border). Without TIP, Mexican migration does NOT allow entry with the vehicle. Your options: (1) return to Guatemala and process the TIP, (2) leave the car at a parking lot on the Guatemalan side and enter on foot. Always process the TIP in advance.
Details
NO. “Central America” coverage in Guatemalan policies typically means CA-4 (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua) PLUS Costa Rica and Panama — does NOT include Mexico. Mexico requires insurance issued by a Mexican carrier, no exceptions. Check the fine print before traveling. If you have an accident in Mexico without Mexican insurance, you can be held at a police station until the matter is resolved. DO NOT risk it.
Details
You have 30 days from the vehicle’s exit to cancel the TIP at any Banjercito office or online with proof of exit stamped by Mexican customs. If you don’t cancel within the deadline, the deposit is applied as a regularization fee and you do NOT recover it. Additionally: the vehicle’s RFC gets a negative annotation that complicates future TIPs. Cancel before leaving or immediately after crossing back.
Details
You need: (1) Notarized authorization from the vehicle’s title holder (you) signed before a notary, indicating: full name of authorized driver, driver’s DPI number, travel date, destinations. (2) Copy of title holder’s and driver’s DPI. (3) Circulation card. SAT issues the permit in the authorized driver’s name. Without this notarized authorization, customs may detain the vehicle at the border on suspicion of unauthorized use.
Penalties
| Infraction | Sanction |
|---|---|
| Exiting without SAT permit | Fine Q500 + vehicle detention at customs on return |
| Permit expiration (more days abroad) | Proportional fine + presumption of illegal sale |
| Not canceling Mexico TIP | Loss of deposit + future TIP block |
| Driving in Mexico without Mexican insurance | Detention until covering damages in case of accident |
| Forging notarized authorization | Criminal complaint + vehicle seizure |
Diaspora — If Visiting Family Across Borders
For Guatemalans in the USA visiting family in Mexico before entering Guatemala (or vice versa), keep in mind:
- If your car has US plates, you can enter Guatemala under the tourist regime for 30 days maximum without SAT processing.
- If you plan to stay longer, you must formally import it.
- To bring a US rental car to Mexico/Guatemala: most rental companies (Hertz, Enterprise, Avis) PROHIBIT crossing into Mexico — check the contract. Specialized companies like Avis Costa Rica or local rentals do allow it.
Related Procedures
- Hub: Guatemala Driving and Vehicle Procedures — all vehicle and license trámites
- SAT Vehicle Sticker (Calcomania) 2026 — annual ISCV payment required before exit
- Online Traffic Fines Lookup — verify no pending fines
- Convert Foreign Driver’s License to Guatemala — if you converted a US license
- Import Used Car from USA — if you’re bringing the car permanently
- Guatemala DPI ID — required to cross CA-4 borders
- Guatemala Passport (RENAP) — required for Mexico and Belize
Official Links
- SAT Portal — Vehicles — exit permit issuance
- Banjercito Mexico — Online TIP — Mexico temporary import permit
- MAPFRE Mexico — Border auto insurance — recommended provider
- SAT Guatemala Customs — border information
- SAT Hotline 1550 — processing support
- Guatemala Migration IGM — passport stamps